I just wanted to SCREAM
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I'm a pretty nice person. When I'm abused/insulted by patients, whether I am in the wrong or not, I apologize and try to make everything better for them. I hate being disliked. I hate having unhappy...
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patients and families react to the problem they are experiencing at that time. it matters not to them that the problem began 2 shifts ago when you were nowhere around. they just want the problem fixed and they want it fixed now.
i dont even bother with telling them it wasnt my fault anymore. i just do my best to fix the problem or hand it off to someone who can fix it. (and with a disgruntled patient....that would always be someone in a higher position than myself).

also , it has almost always been to my benefit when i said as little as possible, and just tried to fix the problem. reason for that is because those pts are usually the ones who report nurses. they report them for being rude, abusive, neglectful...when in reality, the nurse just ****** them off when they were having a bad day.

we encounter people when they are generally at their worst......and unfortunately for us, it magnifies their underlying terrible personalities.

our job is to fix problems but some of them make just about everyone in their path try to avoid them at all cost. the type of patient when u run into them at the grocery store you feel tempted to give them the old evil eye

Pt's and family can be impossible to please. You can't take it personally. What is frustrating is your PCA/tech hand't gotten it already and that is usually the case where I work. Also why didn't the pt just put his call light on right away and ask for SCD's if he was so upset and concerned. He is an adult and perfectly capable of putting the light on I'm sure, rather than waiting and stewing and getting angry at the first person he sees who unfortunately happened to be you.

He was scared I'm sure of a complication, although I think he overreacted. Try not to let it get to you because these types of situations of unhappy vocal patients and family are probably an everyday occurrence. We can't please everyone and I've given up trying! Just do the best you can and leave it at that.

My response, "So you've been here for 5 hrs without an Scd machine and I am just coming on. I don't know the previous nurse's number so that you can yell at her. Right now I'm getting organized for the shift and because it's been a while I will make getting the Scd machine on top of my priorities but that's not my number one concern. Are u in pain? How's your breathing? Okay I will be back